Beyond Provence: A Curated Guide to Alternative Rosé for Summer
Côtes de Provence rosé might be the benchmark, but there are plenty more rosé wines to try this summer.
Chill your reds and ice your buckets – Summer is here. Warmer weather calls for cracking open a good bottle of rosé (not that that’s ever stopped me drinking rosé on a gloomy English day). When I – and I imagine so many of you – think of rosé, a Côtes de Provence will likely be the first rosé wine that comes to mind. That pale blush-coloured, dry, fresh but so very drinkable wine feels increasingly like the poster boy for rosé, and at the pub, it’s often the only rosé on there – along with a blush pinot grigio.
And while Provence rosé is one of my favourite sunny weather wines to open, it’s not the be-all end-all for rosé – there are so many more alternative rosé wines to Provence; you just need to know where to start.
If you’re ready to step outside that comfort zone, here are a few bottles I’ve been reaching for lately that offer a little more character.
The classic Provence rosé
If you’re just not ready to stray from Provence rosé quite yet, I hear you, and I respect the decision. If you’re adamant on sticking with it, then you’re going to want to give Ultimate Provence rosé a go.
It’s bone-dry and bursting with raspberry and strawberry flavours that linger long after you’ve drained your glass. Honestly, it has one of the longest-lasting finishes I’ve come across in a rosé. Usually, you get that lovely hit of red fruit and a kick of acidity, and then the flavour just sort of disappears. Not with this one. Those red fruits linger longer than the sunshine will this summer.
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The easy-drinking Spanish rosé (Barcelona Hola)
If dry, easy-drinking rosé is what you’re after, then I’d suggest giving Spanish rosé a try. My top pick is Barcelona Hola, a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Syrah. It’s a super easy swap if you’re used to light and refreshing Provence wines, but open to branching out to new territories. With notes of citrus, grapefruit and strawberry, Barcelona Hola rosé is ideal for hot-weather sipping.
The Basque wildcard rosé (Ameztoi Rubentis)
If you love Provence rosé for its dry, refreshing style but want to try something a little different, look to the Basque Country. Txakoli is best known as a crisp white wine, but the rosé style makes a brilliant summer alternative – fresh, zippy and packed with red berry, citrus and a refreshing mineral edge. Bodegas Ameztoi’s Rubentis Txakoli Rosado is a perfect example: vibrant and slightly spritzy, with flavours of strawberry, red apple and citrus. Its lively freshness makes it an ideal match for sunny afternoons, seafood lunches and long summer evenings.
The local English rosé (Denbies Rose Hill)
Yes, that’s right, we’re making more than just English Sparkling wine here in the UK – and we’ve got some vineyards making some seriously good still wines at the moment. For a taste of what English rosé can do, Denbies Rose Hill Rosé could be just what you’re looking for. On the palate, it’s sharp, crisp and citrussy with lovely red fruits and a kick of acidity. For an introduction to English rosé, and a move away from Provence, it’s a fantastic wine to start with – at a great price too.
Whether you stick with the classic elegance of Provence, go for something a little more adventurous like Txakoli, or explore what’s being made closer to home, there’s a whole world of rosé beyond that familiar pale pink bottle. This summer, consider this your sign to try something new.
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